Wallace: Detert praises 'Burn Notice' as job maker

The final season of a television series on a basic cable network would typically not be much reason for celebration in the Florida Legislature.

But state officials and elected leaders descended on Miami last week to commemorate one of the final recordings of "Burn Notice," a USA Network show, for one key reason: job creation.

State Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, said the series, on cable since 2007, is one of the biggest success stories of Florida's tax incentive program to lure television and film industry activity to Florida. Beyond the actors, the series brought in hundreds of jobs for ancillary workers such as set designers, carpenters, food service workers, painters and truck drivers.

"Maybe to some people it looks like fluff, but it is a real industry that is bringing jobs to Florida," said Detert, who is the chairwoman of the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee. "For every dollar we are spending, we are getting back something like $47 in economic benefits."

The state has so far given out $67 million in tax credits for 67 projects. An estimated 193,000 new Florida jobs are projected to be created by the tax credit program from 2010 to 2016, when the incentive program is scheduled to end. The tax breaks allow productions to get 20 percent off their tax bills.

Past tax break recipients include movies such as "Dolphin Tale," filmed in Clearwater, and "Transformers 3," filmed partially at the Kennedy Space Center. On Friday, Gov. Rick Scott announced a sequel to "Dolphin Tale" will be filmed in Clearwater this fall — helping to promote Florida as a tourist destination.

"Burn Notice" has been a big job creator for the Miami area. City officials there say the show created hundreds of jobs for cast and crew members over the last seven years and pumped $100 million into the local economy.

"Burn Notice," a story of an ex-spy based in Miami, never received great critical reviews, but consistently has been a top rated cable television program.

Detert said that after being part of the contingent touring the filming locations for "Burn Notice" and "Graceland" — another USA Network program filming in Broward — she wants to look at ways to make the state incentive money go further. Currently the program is largely a first-come-first-served system. She said the state needs to make sure the most worthwhile projects are not being rejected because of the way tax incentives are disbursed.

Nelson back spying program

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson strongly defended the national telephone surveillance program as one that is protecting the nation from terrorism.

During a national TV interview last week, the Florida senator said efforts to curtail the program are based on a lot of misinformation.

"I believe that the checks and the balances are there," Nelson said during an interview on Andrea Mitchell Reports on MSNBC. "And we're measuring against what we are trying to do. We're trying to protect against another terrorist attack."

Nelson, who helped write the law to allow the National Security Agency surveillance program, said there are safeguards that require a court order to seize communications records of American citizens, even if they are overseas.

Nelson's comments came a day after the House nearly voted to block the NSA from collecting vast numbers of phone records in the name of fighting terrorism.

The House voted 217-205 against an amendment that would have ended the NSA program. U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, voted for the amendment. U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, who represents all of Charlotte County, voted against the amendment.

Buchanan on Egypt

One of the most vocal critics in Congress of foreign aid to Egypt is throwing his support behind the Obama Administration decision to halt shipments of jet fighters to the Egyptian military.

"The Obama Administration made the right decision," Buchanan said last week in a statement. "Arming a military that just this month massacred 50 of its own people would have been a grave mistake."

Buchanan has been calling for the U.S. to revoke its foreign aid to Egypt since Egyptians forced former leader Hosni Mubarak to resign in early 2011. And since late last year Buchanan has called for the administration to halt the plan to send more F-16 fighter jets to Egypt.

On Wednesday, the administration announced it would not send the latest shipment of jets to Egypt, but more than $1.5 billion of aid to that nation is still scheduled to go through.

Buchanan said the U.S. has to change the way it uses U.S. tax money in foreign policy.

"We should not be in the business of trying to buy our friends around the world," Buchanan said.

Political events

Tuesday

• Florida ACLU president Mike Pheneger speaks to Sarasota Democrats about "Surveillance, Privacy and Civil Liberties" at a presentation starting at 6:30 p.m. at 1350 Main St., Sarasota. Cost $20 per person. E-mail reservations to rsvp@sarasotadems.com or leave a message at 404-4678.

Wednesday

• State Sen. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, and Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, speak about the Legislature during a roundtable discussion hosted by the Manatee County Young Republicans starting at 7 p.m. at the Riverhouse Reef and Grill, 999 Riverside Drive, Palmetto. Free for club members. $10 for non-members.

Thursday

• Elected Public Defender Larry Eger moderates a Sarasota Tiger Bay panel discussion on the whether money is the key to "courthouse access." Linda Haradine of Legal Aid Manasota, Judge Lee Haworth and attorney John Patterson will be part of the panel, which starts at 11:30 a.m. at Michael's On East, 1212 East Ave., S., Sarasota. Cost is $22 for members and $27 for non-members. For reservations call 925-2970.

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